Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie

Before entire networks were built on populist personalities; before reality morphed into a TV genre; the masses fixated on a single, sociopathic star: controversial talk-show host Morton Downey, Jr. In the late 80s, Downey tore apart the traditional talk format by turning debate of current issues into a gladiator pit. His blow-smoke-in-your-face style drew a rabid cult following. In this acclaimed doc, friends and former colleagues address the lingering question of whether Downey was being sincere or engaging in an elaborate form of performance art. (2103; 90 min)